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Its been echoed before, but I'll echo it again...I would love to see a "Home Depot" style workshop. That is one e-mail notification I would look forward to seeing in my in-box. You might also encourage some "Parent-Child" workshops. Hey Dad, bring your boy along for some cool bonding time...while we start building our future customer-base.

Excellent idea. My kids already have an interest in motorcycles and something like this would further cement the Harley brand in their minds I'll bet.

weekly customer apprec day for prospective buyers and current owners..beer and food a must and T-shirt Give aways its the small things that build loyalty and attract ppl..I my self and a t-shirt whore. I bought a new quad and a new trailer simply asked for a T-shirt and they said we sell em at the parts counter ( mind you I just spent 10k on a quad thats two weeks out) so I googled the machine I just bought slighty pissed off and found 3 other dealers where it was upto 1500 cheaper...that 10 dollar t-shirt cost them 1200 dollars seeing as I went back to cancel the deal they coughed up the 1200 discount and I bought my own shirt and never went back

This might be a bit "out there" but owning a business myself, ya gotta think outside of the box... here goes. The problem is when the cold weather comes, its time to store the bike or part hybernate it. I know there's things I could get done on the bike while its down any how. If someone wants to get the bike to the shop, say for a tire change or whatever, problem is getting it there, or getting caught while its at the dealership. I'd like to get my back tire changed out, but I don't want to see if I can ride in the snow afterward....you get my point. What if the dealership offered closed trailering?? to and from. Just a thought.

I think this is one of the best ideas so far. I see alot of people around here that will wait for nice weather to take thier bike in to have upgrades and get it ready for the summer.
I am sure there would have to be a limit on the distance the shop will go to get a bike, but to get the new tires, upgrades before the weather is really nice and not have to worry about snow and ice on the roads seems like a great idea.

__________________
RIDE HARD - It is no fun if it doesn't scare you

"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him."
~~James D. Miles

I would love to see the tech/service items as well. actually, the very first time I walked into a dealership (Sherman, Tx.) they had a table set up with a bunch of parts on it. I couldn't stand it very long and asked the salesman that was showing me around what it was about. The next day there was a tech going to install them on a bike for all to see. I would have loved to seen that and kick myself in the butt for not driving back over the next day (2+ hours) to see it.
At this time, I am considering doing exactly what was being done there that day to the bike I bought some 2 weeks later. Heck, i would even pay to attend a seminar like that. I don't have the tools to do all of that work so if i learned enough to do it, i would at least have to buy the proper tools from the HD to do the work myself.
I also agree with some kind of apparel/service discounts, free t-shirt opportunities, etc.
I really don't think we need much of an incentive to come into your dealership, just something.

Maybe on some of your tech seminars, don't just do it one time. Like the guy that says he works second shift, offering it at different times will allow most everyone to show up. Like offer a certain service type seminar from 9-11am, 1-3pm, and again from 5-7pm. whatever time frame that might allow for most everyone to attend.

I also work retail and notice that 10% off coupons sent addressed to our customers definately gets them in.
We purchased an Ultra from a dealer and don't get any mailers, nothing from them. My husband bought an oil filter wrench from this dealers sister dealership, and typically get something in the mail every 2 weeks. Now how does that make sense?

the dealer i do buisness with just had an "Open House" with door prizes,raffles for gift cards, discounts and other freebies. They are also offering free gift wrapping on saturdays by the local H.O.G. chapter on all items bought at the store until Christmas.

This coming Saturday they are having pictures with Santa.

They just had a charity benefit where all the proceeds from sales at the food trailer went to "Caring at Christmas for Coley"

they list everything on their website calender, Twitter and Facebook.

the two main dealers around here have something going on just about every weekend. whether a meet and greet with food and beer to something new during this holiday time called Coffee and a Prayer Drive Thru.

The how to clinics sound like a great idea. You being a dealer might think it could hurt buisness but i think it could actually help increase the sales of parts and accessories that you might not otherwise sell.

Some people take their bike to an indy because lets face it they are cheaper for the same work but if a clinic shows someone how to inspect the bike properly or change the oil and that its really not that hard, next thing you know this person will be in the shop buying gaskets, oil,filters, funnels, tools and dont forget about that fancy little chrome doo dad that caught his eye.

You might lose some service work but in the long run you could get a patron who otherwise wouldnt come in.

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